September 2011

I have had many questions asked of me since our last Webinar regarding the active “fan gate” that we created for the Denim Debutante page. Now that I’ve put one up on the Debutante Media page as well, I wanted to share with you my step by step for making one yourself.

The best part? You don’t need to know how to code in FBML (Facebook Markup Language) to make one!

Share a link to your Facebook fan gate or landing page in the comments, and we’ll offer you some free tips to improve it!

We have so many people ask about this – here’s your chance to know! We’ve included videos, examples – even Jaime’s FULL media kit! – as a part of this new book!

If you want to read the book for yourself and make your own media kit, you’re in luck! Through September, we have a discount available, knocking the price off by 35% – use code MyMediaKit to save today!

Here’s a word of praise about Jaime’s work:

“Jaime is genuine… and her honest approach to difficult work situations has always impressed me. She is bold, smart, an online marketing expert, and last but not least, an amazing writer!”

With all the commentary around a certain New York Times article about a particular PR agency’s improperly disclosed blogger “opportunity,” I’ve been able to have a few wonderful conversations with both bloggers and PR representatives – each equally buzzing about the scenario. And the excitement has left me thinking one thing in particular:

In today’s world of impersonal connections, disjointed communication and blatant marketing double-talk, where do we draw the line? And, who is to blame?

I pose this question as a blogger and as a brand consultant because, in my experiences, both sides are innocent and to blame all at the same time.

Not sure what I mean? Think about these scenarios:

- You’re contacted by a brand that you absolutely adore, and they want to see your media kit. Before you send it out, you make sure you’ve put in some extremely compelling numbers. After all, they are close to your stats… and it’s not like they’ll see your analytics anyways, right? The company is impressed, and you get the contract. Everyone’s happy.

- The company you work for has a new product coming out that could potentially be dangerous for children if used improperly. You’ve told your boss about your concerns, but she brushes them off and tells you that you’re paranoid. You decide to go over her head and speak to the project lead. The product gets pulled from the shelves and is sent through safety inspections again. You were absolutely right, and your reward? Your boss passes you over for a new promotion.

- You’re representing a brand’s new product and, while emailing bloggers, decide to forego referencing it directly – and instead, you choose to go for an event that positions it as the final big reveal. Everyone loved the idea when you pitched it in the team meeting – but when it came to fruition, the bloggers participating in the event were not only unhappy, they were excruciatingly offended. This was your first big project and instead of having your back, everyone on your team lays the entire blame on your shoulders. It’s “suggested” that you find another employment opportunity two weeks later.

- A popular brand hires you as a consultant to help them get into the digital world. They know your personal style well – they’ve even bought advertising on your blog – and they’re the kind of client that you always hoped for: responsive, engaged and always up for trying something new. One day, they tell you in confidence about a product that they’re developing – you’re so excited because it not only fits their brand, it’s something you are now infatuated with – and you write a blog post. That you publish… without approval and without thinking. The brand drops you as a consultant and asks you to waive the fee associated with ending the contract early.

These are each scenarios that I’ve seen happen before. Where is the bad guy here?

I think that so much of this boils down to a lack of information surrounding journalistic ethics for a digital world – why should they be any different than those enforced on the beat writers in a local newsroom? And conversely, what makes it okay for a PR agency to offer an “opportunity” that they wouldn’t even consider sending to a news journalist for fear of offending them?

In this world – and particularly within this industry – I think we’d all benefit from a little more transparency and a hell of a lot of common courtesy (and good manners). What are your thoughts?

What are your big tips and tricks for SEO development?

I am guilty of many things. I leave the dishes to pile up, toss my jeans on the ground at the end of the day and I ignore my poor basil plant when it cries out for water (I’m sorry, Mr. Basil!). I’m flawed.

You’re flawed, too. Whether you like to drink straight from the milk carton or love watching bad reality television.

We all do things we know we shouldn’t. And that’s okay. Part of being human is being flawed – we need an end goal to work toward, after all. A list of things to improve upon that changes fluidly.

On my list? To be a better listener. You see, I’m very good at standing in front of a crowd and speaking. I’m even pretty great at the one-on-one.

But I have a penchant for accidentally one-upping people when I don’t mean to. Often, I’m trying to show that I understand where they’re coming from – that I empathize. I also tend to say things that in my head are funny but, once they come out, I immediately regret.

My best description of what it’s like? I feel as if I’m living with a rather rambunctious eight year old in my brain, and she’s very awkward (so, you know, eight-year-old Jaime). Instead of focusing on the task at hand, she’s bumping into walls, talking with food in her mouth and forgetting about using her inside voice. Yep, that’s me. I try very hard to keep her placated.

And sometimes, I fail.

My intentions are always sincere. I’m always trying to help/amuse/enlighten/comfort, but I’m not always understood. This tends to happen most in my personal life, though it does flood over into the professional, despite my best efforts.

Do you have a trait or certain quirk that doesn’t always come across the way you intended?

I’ve been spending more time lately to try t0 learn new ways to avoid these flaws – and one of those ways isn’t actually an avoidance at all. There are some that I’ve just embraced. Sometimes it’s just part of who you are, for better or for worse.